The subject matter herein relates generally to methods and components for routing optical fibers to interconnect different communication devices.
Communication systems, such as routers, servers, switches, data centers, and the like, may be large, complex systems that have a number of devices interconnected to one another. Such systems often use optical fibers to interconnect different portions of the systems. Optical fibers are flexible, thin fibers of transparent material that transmit light signals (called optical signals) through total internal reflection. Depending on the size of the system, there may be tens, hundreds, or thousands of optical fibers. It is known that the optical signals may attenuate if the optical fibers are bent too sharply. Due to the number of optical fibers in a system and the nature of the optical fibers, it can be challenging to manage and route the optical fibers through the system.
In one conventional method for routing the optical fibers, several optical fibers are affixed to a side of a flexible, sheet-like substrate. The optical fibers are positioned and pressed onto an adhesive layer of the substrate such that the optical fibers are held in fixed positions with respect to one another in a desired circuit pattern. The optical fibers may have different paths along the substrate. For example, although the optical fibers may enter the substrate in parallel, the paths of the optical fibers may curve away from each other or cross-over each other so that the optical fibers exit the substrate at various locations desired by the user. Accordingly, the substrate holds the optical fibers in fixed positions with respect to one another and along predetermined paths that do not go below a predetermined bend radius. Similar methods include positioning the optical fibers in a desired circuit pattern along a sheet-like substrate and then applying a coating over the optical fibers and allowing the coating to cure.
Although the above substrates may be effective in managing and routing the optical fibers, they may have certain drawbacks. Communication systems have become smaller and/or denser in recent years. The substrates may require an excessive amount of space within the communication system that might otherwise be used for other components.
Accordingly, a need exists for a component that facilitates routing optical fibers between different communication devices while reducing space requirements.